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11.01.2012

Real Madrid made their 2012/2013 Spanish Cup (Copa del Rey) debut with a commendable away triumph against Alcoyano in the first leg of the tournament's round of thirty-two. Goals came from Benzema and Kaka in the first half then first-team newcomer Jose Rodriguez and the French forward again in the second. The team led by Jose Mourinho proved very effective, managing to thwart their rival's clear opportunities at goal. Nevertheless, a goal from Lara in the final stretch managed to close the gap. The Real Madrid coach formed a line-up full of new faces with respect to the last League match. Academy players Nacho, Morata and Álex were present and the team performed at top level in order to achieve an advantage in the playoff that concludes on 27 November in the Santiago Bernabeu. After their successful result they will now be focussing on their next League match against Zaragoza.

Ricardo Kaka was the best player of Real Madrid

The Whites hit the pitch at El Collao with nine new players in the starting line-up with respect to the last League match played against Mallorca. Alcoyano kicked off the match with the added motivation brought by their rival and the support of their home crowd. With great positioning the local team bore down on the Real Madrid players at the top of the pitch, taking four corners in only seven minutes. At the outset of the match the two teams fought with great intensity to win control of the centre of the field, resulting in a lack of opportunities at goal.

Little by little Mourinho's team freed themselves of their rival's hold and in their first aerial incursion Benzema scored 0-1 (21’). Callejon struggled against the Alicante defense for a long ball and it fell to the Frenchman who advanced well, beating Unai Alba and opening the scoreboard. At that point the Whites began to enjoy themselves more with the ball and control the match. As a result, Morata scored in the 32’ after a good pass from Kaka. However the goal was disallowed by the referee for offside. The second goal did make it on the scoreboard in the 35’, with a shot by Kaka from the edge of the area. Benzema took the ball down the field and passed it to the Brazilian, who scored with a low left-footed shot slipped in next to the left post.

The home team tried coming back thanks to Edison and De Dios, Alcoyano's most effective players. The former shot high on two occasions (38’ y 44’) while Adán, who remained confident throughout the match, blocked the latter's shot from the edge of the area. In the stoppage time Kaka shot a free kick from the side of the field directly at goal in an attempt to surprise the home keeper, but the ball went just over the crossbar.

The second half started with Jose Rodriguez making his debut with Real Madrid. He came on in substitution of Alex, who was well positioned and focused on containing the rivals at all times but was booked for a foul in the 42’. Alcoyano hit the pitch once more applying pressure at the top of the field and looking for opportunities, particularly at moments where the ball was stopped. Modric was the second Real Madrid substitution, going on for Essien in the 60’ just before the third goal (67’). In a great piece of play enabled by the whole team, Benzema passed to Jose Rodriguez inside the area and the academy player scored a fantastic goal, shooting with the inside of his right foot.

In the 70’ Benzema had the chance to score his second goal of the night but the rival keeper kicked his shot clear. The home team sought a face-saving goal but Adan thwarted all their attempts. In the 62’ he saved a shot by Fran Piera from the front of the area and in the 73’ and 75’ he disrupted two other promising rival efforts. There was nothing he could do in the 77’ when Lara shot a penalty kick directly at goal from the right side. The Whites dominated in the final stage and concluded the match with a goal from Benzema in the 87’, who slipped his shot under Unai Alba in a great combination with Morata. After their successful result the team will now be focussing on their next League match against Zaragoza next Saturday.

10.29.2012

Real Madrid were focused, solid and reliable in the Iberostar Stadium. The Whites did not give Mallorca, who until now had won three of four matches at home, any chances and sealed the match in less than half an hour with goals from Higuaín in the 8th minute and Ronaldo in the 22nd. They combined to bring the third and fourth midway through the second half. The Portuguese got the assist for the first and the Argentine was the executor and sealed his seventeenth brace for the club. For the next goal the roles were reversed. Callejon, in injury time, scored the last to seal the fifth win in the league, the team’s seventh consecutive season unbeaten on the island and the second straight clean sheet in the championship.

Goal-fest in Mallorca. Real Madrid scored five goals.

Real Madrid took to the field at the Iberostar Stadium with the same team that finished the match in Dortmund. Modric and Higuain, therefore, were the only changes in the starting line-up from last Wednesday's match. It was the Argentine who needed just eight minutes to put the Whites in front. He did well with visitors’ first chance. A through ball from Di Maria and Gonzalo ‘Pipa’ Higuain took advantage of an Anderson mistake whilst clearing the ball and volleyed past Aouate. It could not have started better for Real Madrid. 0-1 and Mallorca had to push their lines forward and leave more space in their tight defensive formation if they wanted to get the equaliser.

Real Madrid wanted to take advantage of that and kill off the game on the counter attack, an aspect of the game in which they dominate like few others. Cristiano Ronaldo went close in the 10th minute but his venomous strike was met by Aouate. The second goal did come twelve minutes later. It was not the counter attack what the Whites’ took advantage of but rather their relentless pressure on their opponent’s bringing the ball out of defence. Özil won the ball and passed to Di Maria who in turn passed to Higuain who got the assist for Ronaldo’s finish. The Portuguese was the only one who took two touches in the move. One to control the ball and get lose his marker and another to finish accurately into the far corner. 0-2 in less than half an hour and the Portuguese’s thirteenth goal in the eight consecutive matches in which he has scored (his best streak for a club).

The match was almost safe but the Whites were not satisfied. Their dominance was overwhelming and they wanted to increase their lead. Mallorca, meanwhile, only created danger from a cross-shot from Nsue that Casillas deflected for a corner in the 18th minute. With the majority of the possession and the best chances for the visitors the half came to an end.

The script did not change after the break, although Mallorca came out much braver. In fact, the first time that the visitors took a shot was from the edge of the area from Ramos in the 58th minute. Ronaldo also had a chance two minutes later but his shot from distance was caught by Aouate, who could not stop the third in the 70th minute. An accurate assist from the Portuguese and even better finish from Higuaín, who scored his seventeenth brace for the club.

With little time to digest the third, Mallorca received another blow, which also came from a combination of the two authors of the earlier goal. This time there was a change of roles. Higuain gave the pass and Ronaldo, getting in front of the defence, scored the fourth on 73 minutes. Callejon, in injury time, scored the fifth. Goal-fest in Mallorca to get their fifth win in the league, the seventh consecutive season in which the team is unbeaten on the island and the second straight clean sheet in the championship.